Jukeboxin’: Doc’s Clock

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I wanted the first column of Jukeboxin’ to showcase a particular favorite of mine: Doc’s Clock, where their juke is under-used and under-appreciated.

At first glance, a regular person with
regular tastes in music would probably find the selection to be a
little narrow. But for me, it’s comfort music.

It has all my favorite albums that I listen to regularly at home, and
artists I have seen many times in concert. Which is not a particularly
great financial decision for a bar because, unless I’m in that beltin’ out mood, I neglect to play any songs — I know
them all by heart. But I’ve always commended the establishment for their refined taste.

It had the typical Paul’s Boutique, Clash and Otis Redding you find on most, but the highlights for me were:

These are all artists which I’d mix on a CD for a long road trip,
or just bring their entire discography. They all fit well with each other set-wise. But I’m not on a road trip, or
at home, or DJing — I’m sitting in an empty, boring bar.

The jukebox
would fit better in a bar that’s either smaller or younger, though Doc’s Clock seems to aspires to a vibe that’s
a little rock n roll/a little vintage and it should fit
perfectly. And then some bros came in for shuffleboard. The scene
emphasized the obvious disconnect between the music, the atmosphere,
and the clientele.

I sat there for 3 hours and not one person played the jukebox. The
bartender’s iPod was hooked up instead. Coincidentally, it was the music
from the juke, so I didn’t need to put any money into it anyway.

Where: 2575 Mission Street (Between 21st and 22nd Street)Good: for a rainy night with a close-knit group of friends who has your similar tasteBad: for bros who like shuffleboardCost: $1.00 4 plays, $2.00 7 plays

Jukeboxin’ is Katie Ann Doze’s survey of San Francisco jukeboxes. Know one you think she should check out? Tell her.

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